Oxymoron In The Tropics

I am moving workplaces again :) Last Friday I received a letter calling me to a briefing for Form Six Academic Teacher placements.  My whole day perked up.  Would I finally be able to go back to school?  The word 'promotion' was also in the title so that made things a bit more shiny and bright and sparkling.  At this point, I am tempted to use the synonyms 'dazzling', 'gleaming', 'radiant', 'resplendent' and  'CORUSCATING' but that may be overkill. Anyway I went for the briefing last Monday and HOORAY I'M POSTED BACK TO SCHOOL! The strange thing was that after nearly three years at the PPD, I finally accepted my fate.  In December, I began planning for 2012.  I had BIG plans.  BIG programs.  All of a sudden, I have to abandon all those plans.  It's so ironic that the moment I stop hoping for something, it happens.  But perhaps there is a lesson for me to learn here :)   

Today was the last day of the seminar (refer to previous post).  More gems of wisdom :) I learned about using mnemonic devices to enhance teaching & learning of literature.  Jane Deslorena Jaikol shared her experiences in teaching students of average proficiency and helping them to remember details of the story Robinson Crusoe.  I know how frustrating it can be when after all your backbreaking efforts, you have a young student who writes in his exam paper that in the Pearl, Coyote was shot in the head by Mokgobja who wanted rain for his lotus which he needed to eat. Dr Norherani Moning talked about wikispaces and how they helped scaffold the teaching of academic writing.  Eric C talked about using efficiency (E-factors) and appropriacy (A-factors) to help in the selection of reading materials for students.  I didn't ask HIM any questions as I was one of his interviewees :) During the pleno session, the panel brought up points such as : - the excellent quality of the papers ...

I am now at the second day of a research seminar in Hotel Beverly, Kota Kinabalu. It has a title that looks dry.. Seminar Penyelidikan Dan Inovasi Pendidikan Kebitaraan Bahasa Peringkat Kebangsaan 2009 ... but the 'kebitaraan' made me look for a dictionary and the papers presented so far has made me view the seminar title in multicolour instead of drab black and white :) I always look forward to attending such seminars.... and this particular seminar is turning out to be one of the more memorable ones. For me, anyway. I met old friends from so many different phases of my life. I got to make new friends! From schools, teaching institutes, universities... I learned new strategies to use in class, such as dialogue journals (action research by Izyan Shazwani). This is a variation on journals and an excellent alternative to e-journals for schools and communities with limited access to the Internet. I found Jacinta Juin's presentation on learner autonomy using drama-based acti...

It's official... the host of the 31st Summer Olympics is Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Tried to tweet that info but for the first time ever, I got the page "Twitter Is Over Capacity". I have a feeling a few million people stormed Twitter about the Olympics.

Attended the ASFF Under 15 2009 Farewell Dinner at Palace Hotel tonight. Well, actually I emceed the function together with Henry N... so, yeah, that qualifies as having attended the function. I am feeling happy about it because things generally went well and the evening ended on a high note. The food looked good ... although emcees hardly ever get the chance to eat (no time and no appetite!). I just assumed the food tasted good based on the empty plates heaped on the tables. Started the evening with a multimedia presentation (recap of the championship events), moved on to the usual speech of farewell and handing-out of certificates of participation & appreciation, dinner, songs and dance by the Sabah College singers and dancers (I thought Abd Khareez did a great rendition of Hello Beautiful!), exchange of souvenirs among the contingents.... and CONTINGENT TALENTINE! I wasn't expecting much, considering that the contingents came to play footie...but I found myself thoroughly...

Just got back from Palace Hotel.  All I can say is that I survived emceeing the ASFF Welcome Dinner...just. Anybody who has ever been an emcee knows what it's like.  You prepare for all eventualities and OTHER eventualities happen.  But I suppose I should be happy because on the whole, the most important things took place according to plan, as listed below. 1) The VVIP gave his speech and we didn't mispronounce or miss important parts of his name or post. 2) The dinner began on time (despite the microphone hiccup!) and ended waaaaay ahead of time... hooray for us! 3) The right tokens of appreciation went to the right VIPs. 4) The cultural performances ended on a high note, Sayang Kinabalu sung by Asmin Mudin its composer. I won't mention the hiccups because no-one seemed to notice except for those who planned the dinner and of course, the ones who emceed the function...LOL.... The Sri Lanka footballers sat next to us and seemed to be amused, watching Henry and I tryi...

Last Friday, I attended a meeting for the Asian Schools Football Federation (ASFF) Under-15 Championships taking place in Kota Kinabalu from the 12th to the 18th of August.  One of the main issues discussed was Influenza A H1N1.  While the officials were worried about the pandemic, they were focusing more on how to handle the issue.  No cancelling of the championship ... :) I'm one of four emcees tasked with handling some of the functions during the championship so it should be pretty interesting, watching the goings-on.  Looked like the emcees will be given quite a free hand, bar the usual Malaysian protocol rules.  I like this aspect of being an emcee using the English language... Malay language emceeing has too many rules!  Hmm, should I be getting worried....naaaah, don't think so. So far, only ten countries are taking part, braving the pandemic...LOL... Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam, Macao, Singapore, Brunei, China, Thailand, the Philippines and of course, Malaysia!  H...

I keep getting emails and messages about this competition but unfortunately I'm not affiliated in any way to the competition or the society. I merely blogged about it. However, this may be happening because the essay website URL changed. And not everyone knows how to use Google. So for those who want to find out about the essay, please go to http://www.thercs.org/society/177 or email your queries to essay@rcsint.org . It doesn't look like the results are available at this point in time. As for me, I'm just an English teacher working in Sabah, the northern part of Borneo. About as far away from London as it is possible to get :)

A man died yesterday. I didn't know him that well. I may have met him only a handful of times. What I remember was that he was a man you never forgot. All he had to do was enter a room and everyone would turn to look. He had a love of life that shone through in his laughter and his words. But he died today and now I have a friend who is devastated. She too has a similar love of life. I admire her for her zest for living and just overall in-your-face vitality. But her grief is so strong.... I am so sad...I do not grieve for him for I barely knew him. Besides he is already 'safe' in the other world. I grieve for her...my tears are for a woman left behind. I have faith in her strength and I know she will get through this. But what version of her will emerge at the other end of this tunnel of pain? I am selfish because I still want the old fresh and mouthy lady. I just fear that she may never be the same. :`(

I just returned from Keningau today. Am feeling very satisfied with the Statelevel Teacher Debates that just concluded today. My team didn't win but they put up a good fight. Considering two of them were first-timers, I was glad to see both do a good job onstage. Of course they were nervous but who wouldn't be? Imagine getting up in front of a few hundred teachers and students in a big hall and debating a motion with a few others. You either end up making a cake of yourself or making people decide that you have a pretty good control of both brain and tongue. KK was supposed to have five debaters but only three stayed the course. Eric, Sylviannie and Faris made a good team and were absolutely good sports. A friend asked me why I was still involved in debates after first jumping into the arena in 1996. To be honest with you, I love the mental calisthenics and witty turns of phrase. I also loooove the process of preparing for debates. For me, debates mean days of discus...

It's a brand new year and with it, comes brand new days. What's going to happen this year, I wonder?  I hope for better things.  I'm planning for a new house and that would mean new surroundings... hmmm, wonder if I should transfer school?  But I'm pretty happy in my current place of work.  Lots of people with get-up-and-go there.  A positive attitude is so important... Yesterday we had our staff meeting and I made sure to stress on the positive aspects.  So the meeting was a long string of good stuff.  It was a good thing to see the teachers cheerful and happily chatting outside the meeting room afterwards.  On the home front, decisions were being made (FINALLY! *roll eyes*) and that was a positive start to the year.  Well, at least I thought so.  2009, roll on! *eyes crunched close and praying hard*

Today is the first real day of the year-end holiday! Yesterday didn't count cos I was at work till 4 p.m., sitting in a data meeting at the KK District Education Office. I didn't really mind that much as the officers in charge of the meeting were funny and cheerful. As usual. Well, they have to be as they were asking the schools to fill up a database. Usually a finicky messy crazy job. I didn't have to do it as my data officer was there. My job was to carry the school chops, school letterheads and responsibility to approve. Now what shall I do today? I plan to start off with a good hearty breakfast. Keeping in mind my latest resolution to try and make my blood as alkaline as possible. Next I may go to Karamunsing Complex to see what the Laptop Fair has to offer. Not that I want to buy a laptop. My Inspiron 700m is still serving me well. Then I may check my ebook folders. I've been downloading so many ebooks that I probably have a few hundred that I haven't ...

Lee didn't get the gold.... oh well, a silver isn't anything to scoff at. That only means Malaysia needs to strive harder.

LEE CHONG WEI! SILVER OLYMPIC MEDAL!  GOLD IN SIGHT, GO GO GO.....! *now just need to put medicine on all the fingers i was biting on* That Korean Hyunil really put Lee through the wringer..

I'm sitting in front of TV and computer... I'd have the radio on but afraid I'd miss out on important details in the cacophony. Malaysian Elections 2008 is BURNING HOT! And the fact that Sungai Petani, Kedah is won by PKR (opposition) just screams out '#@$#%^' to me. I don't believe things in that town don't move without the big M's fingers in it somewhere.... Apparently Kedah's gone to the opposition and Selangor might go that way too.... I won't be able to s l e e p!

John Howard lost the election and Kevin Rudd (Labor) is the new Prime Minister. I wonder what the future holds for Australians and South-east Asians. I just have a feeling that it will affect us somehow.

31st of October 2006 was a big red-letter day for SK Kipovo, Penampang. For the Director General of Education, his five deputies and twenty plus directors all descended upon the pretty rural school. SK Kipovo's one of the schools involved in a projek rintis for the I-Board technology (basically converts a whiteboard into a touchscreen) and the synergy between the teachers, the students and the technology there is good enough to get the DG to drag all his big guns all the way from Putrajaya to Penampang. So on the last day of October, officers swarmed all over SK Kipovo, the visitors to see what the technology was all about and the local education officers to smooth the way the path the very AIR in and around the school. I was the 'lucky' creature assigned the MC job. Do it well, you sleep well at night. Do it badly... hmmm, better start pondering alternative work choices. No lah.. ha ha .. just joking. But an MC can make or break a function. Say the wrong thing or me...